Rīga

See also: riga, Riga, Rîga, and Rīgā

Latvian

Rīga (Latvijā)

Etymology

The origin of the word Rīga is disputed. Some claim that it is borrowed from Livonian ringa (“loop”), referring to the ancient natural harbor formed by the tributary loop of the Daugava river. Others consider it a form of Riege, the German name of the Rīdzene, a tributary of the Daugava river. Others yet derive it from rija (“threshing barn”), the j becoming a g in German (note that English geographer Richard Hakluyt calls the city Rie in 1589, and that German historian Dionysius Fabricius confirms in 1610 the origin of Rīga from rija).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɾīːɡa]

Audio:

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Proper noun

Rīga f (4th declension)

1. Riga (the capital city of Latvia)

   Rīgas vēsturiskais centrs ― the historic center of Riga

   Rīgas dzelzceļa stacija ― Riga railway station

   Rīga ir galvenais industriālais, darījumu, kultūras, sporta un finanšu centrs Baltijā ― Riga is the main industrial, business, cultural, sports and financial center in the Baltics

Declension

Declension of Rīga (4th declension)

	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative (nominatīvs)	Rīga	—
accusative (akuzatīvs)	Rīgu	—
genitive (ģenitīvs)	Rīgas	—
dative (datīvs)	Rīgai	—
instrumental (instrumentālis)	Rīgu	—
locative (lokatīvs)	Rīgā	—
vocative (vokatīvs)	Rīga	—

Derived terms

• rīdzinieks, rīdziniece

Descendants

• Norwegian Bokmål: Riga